What Is Samsung Doing With Self-Driving Cars?

Writing on Consumer Tech & Social Media with a satirical, cynical edge

The logo of Samsung Electronics is seen on a glass door at the company's showroom in Seoul on April 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je

According to a report in the Korea Herald tech giant Samsung has received approval to start test runs of self-driving vehicles in South Korea. While Samsung is mostly known for its mobile devices, such as the recently released Samsung Galaxy S8, the company does have a history in the automotive industry. So what is it doing getting into self-driving cars?

That history includes the recent purchase of electronics manufacturer Harman, which makes in-car entertainment systems. With that, Samsung joins Apple, Uber, Alphabet's Waymo and a slew of other tech firms testing something related to self-driving cars. One detail that is known about this move by Samsung is that it will be sourcing vehicles from Hyundai to test some sort of mystical software.

Word on the street is that Samsung will be looking into creating software that uses deep machine learning and artificial intelligence. The Hyundai loaners will be equipped with laser scanning and radar equipment. Thankfully, after the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploding debacle, Samsung has confirmed it will not be producing actual vehicles.

"We would like to clarify that the company has no plan to enter the car manufacturing business," a spokesperson told Reuters adding that the vehicle will further Samsung's development of "deep learning algorithms for autonomous operations".

This news comes on the heels of Apple receiving permission to test self-driving vehicles in California. Like Samsung, Apple is (for the moment) focusing on the software side of self-driving cars with its 'Project Titan'. Currently partnering with Lexus, Apple previously held talks with Volkswagen and BMW. I doubt either Samsung or Apple will eventually turn to vehicle production, as both companies focuses on software that could have applications outside of a single brand of self-driving vehicle.

What is not known about this latest move by Samsung is if it plans on implementing any testing in the United States, alongside Apple and Alphabet. While testing in South Korea makes sense for Samsung (as it is based in Seoul), it would also be a bold move to directly challenge Apple on its home turf. As for the bigger picture, it really doesn't matter where the company is testing, it matters what it is testing.

As self-driving cars have moved higher in the future-is-here tech conversation, one thing that is not talked about to the same degree is the complex software that will be involved with integrating these cars into our current infrastructure. Self-driving cars will need every tech giant getting in on the algorithm and AI action in order to succeed.